Mother Praised by Government as She Reaches Settlement over Daughter’s ‘Air Pollution’ Death
The mother of a nine-year-old girl who was the first person to have air pollution recorded as a cause of death on her death certificate has agreed an undisclosed settlement with the government over her untimely death.
A statement issued to her today on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Department for Transport (DoT) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said:
“You have advanced your claim with great dignity and explained your experience of the tragedy and the impact it had on you and your family. Ella’s suffering and death were a tragedy. On behalf of the Government departments who were party to the claim, we again take this opportunity to say we are truly sorry for your loss and to express our sincerest condolences to you as Ella’s mother, to her siblings, and to everyone who knew her. To lose a loved one at such a young age is an immeasurable loss.
“Your words, both in this litigation and in your public campaigning, have made a considerable impact. You have spoken eloquently about Ella’s life, her suffering and death, your experiences throughout the inquest and the course of the litigation, and your efforts campaigning for better air quality. You have explained how you, and those closest to you, were affected by your experiences, and we wish to acknowledge the impact these experiences had on you and all those who knew Ella.”
Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah died on 15 February 2013. While growing up close to the South Circular Road in Lewisham, Ella developed severe asthma just before her seventh birthday. From that point until her premature death, she was hospitalised 30 times, often with life threatening symptoms. On many occasions she stopped breathing, lost consciousness and suffered severe seizures. After the first inquest into her death was quashed, a second inquest in 2020 concluded that excessive air pollution made a ‘material contribution to Ella’s death’.
Today Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE, along with Ella’s siblings, met with Emma Hardy MP, Minister for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and reaffirmed her commitment to hold the government to account to bring in improved legislation to bring the UK in line with WHO air quality guidelines such as a new Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill known as ‘Ella’s Law’. Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah awaits a response to her request to meet with the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, to discuss the health implications of air pollution.
The meeting today forms part of the settlement of a civil claim brought by law firm Hodge Jones & Allen of Ella’s estate against the three government departments for breaches of Ella’s rights under the Human Rights Act, including her right to life.
Ella’s mother, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE said: “I have been fighting for justice for Ella for over 14 years. Firstly, to find out what was making her so severely ill, and secondly to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution. Nothing will ever make up for the pain and suffering that Ella went through, or for the trauma of losing a beloved daughter and sister at such a young age. The loss to our family is immeasurable.
“Since Ella’s death, I have dedicated my life to raising public awareness of the devastating impact air pollution has on the public’s health. Today, over 1.1 million children in the UK are diagnosed with asthma. My aim remains to stop other children from suffering like Ella did and to campaign for the implementation of all of the coroner’s recommendations following Ella’s second inquest. I will continue to fight for the health of all children. I believe every child has a right to breathe clean air, no matter where they live, their ethnic background or their economic status. Ella’s story has been a force for change and I will continue to use her legacy to hold authorities to account.
“I have told Ms Hardy today that so much more needs to be urgently done to improve our air quality and that I stand ready to assist her and the government to tackle what has become a public health crisis.”
Rosamund’s lawyer Susie Labinjoh, partner for Hodge Jones & Allen, added: “This has been a long and arduous battle for Rosamund. The settlement is a measure of her sheer determination to get recognition for her daughter’s pain and suffering from those responsible for tackling air pollution.
“I pay tribute to Rosamund’s work in raising awareness about the dangers of air pollution and wish her and her family all the very best for the future. It has been a privilege to represent Rosamund and her family.”